The Malta Football Association yesterday announced special incentives for local football fans in the hope of luring them to the Ta’ Qali National Stadium on the occasion of the Euro 20-12 qualifier against Group leaders Greece on 26 March.
Local regular stadium goers are being offered the opportunity to purchase their ticket for the Malta-Greece match at a reduced rate, if they buy their tickets beforehand when attending to one of the matches of the senior domestic competitions from the Premier League to the lower divisions, and this offer also includes Gozo.
Any person attending and paying for a ticket for one of the BOV National Leagues and U*BET F.A.Trophy matches scheduled to be played at the National Stadium, Centenary Stadium, Hibernians Stadium, V. Tedesco Stadium or Gozo Stadium between the 11th and 20th March 2011, can also buy a ticket for the Malta vs Greece match at the reduced rate of €4 for a seat at the Millennium Stand, and at €2 for a seat at the South Stand.
This offer will no longer be available after the above mentioned dates.
After that, the normal ticket prices will apply follows:
West Stand (Upper) €25, West Stand (Lower) €10, Millennium Stand €5, South Stand €3.
West Stand A will be reserved for visiting fans, which so far number around 100.
The pre-sale of tickets will start on Wednesday 16 March and will remain open until Friday 25, from the following outlets: MFA Headquarters – Millennium Stand, National Stadium, Ta’ Qali; MFA Gym & Fitness Centre – Millennium Stand, National Stadium, Ta’ Qali; C. Carabott Booksellers – Paola Square; Eros Stationery – Paceville; Gelardu Kiosk – Valletta; Lion King Stationery – Pieta; Star Tourism – Bugibba; TeamsporT – Iklin and one can also order them online at www.action.com.mt
When buying a ticket online from action.com.mt, one will receive them free of charge.
MFA Chief Executive Officer Bjorn Vassallo said that the role of supporters at matches involving the national team is very important. He referred to the recent match against Switzerland saying that it was thanks to the support from the stands that the players produced a good performance.
Vassallo also revealed that attendance figures till the end of the first phase of the Premier League had increased by 20 per cent when compared to the previous season.
He mentioned the refurbishment undertaken at the National Stadium and added that the league’s new formats should also help to lure more persons to the local venues as football will be played in the villages and towns – closer to the people - and not at Ta’ Qali.
He said that a new stadium will be built in order to host top-level football while football from the lower divisions will be played in regional stadiums which could host between 800 and 2,000 spectators, namely the Luxol Stadium, Charles Abela Stadium in Mosta, the Rabat Ajax Ground in Mtarfa and eventually the Sirens Ground.
Vassallo also said that the capacity at the Victor Tedesco Stadium will be increased during the coming summer months, adding that the MFA will also be investing in more improvements at the Hibernians Stadium.
Other speakers yesterday were Norman Saliba, head of the MFA’s Marketing and national team players Jamie Pace.
While Saliba said he MFA was doing its utmost to encourage more fans to watch the game, Pace said that the mentioned incentives make real sense. He said: “When a player enters the field of play and hears the fans’ support is something fantastic. A player will never try to disappoint the supporters.”